A lens having an equivalent focal length less than the diagonal of its image plane may be classified as a wide angle lens. Zoom lenses which have a range from wide angle to a long focus or so-called telephoto equivalent focal length (EFL) present different design criteria when considered from the extremes of the EFL's.
A wide angle lens of about 70.degree. field is not difficult to design. Such design generally includes a negative front group and a positive rear group where the back focal length of the lens is greater than the EFL. Such lens is often termed a retrofocus or reverse telephoto lens. An example of an excellent optic of this category is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,849 and is marketed as a Vivitar Series I, 28 mm f/1.9 lens. On the other hand, lenses having an EFL several times the diagonal of the image frame present other design considerations. Examples of a well corrected telephoto lens are given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,876, and have been marketed as Vivitar Series I lenses at 135 mm f/2.3, and 200 mm f/3.0. A comparison of such lens shows completely different design configurations and considerations.
Where the EFL range of a zoom lens is to cross the so-called wide angle definition, a more sophisticated lens design is demanded requiring more lens elements and movements of various lens groups. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,089, and has been marketed as a Vivitar Series I 35-85 mm f/2.8 lens.
Few zoom lenses have been designed and marketed having a lower EFL in the wide angle range and having a zoom range of greater than 3:1, and then the actual EFL extremities are subject to a five percent marking tolerance. In such zoom lenses, the spherical .[.abberrations.]. .Iadd.aberrations .Iaddend.become excessive as the longer EFL is attempted to be increased and/or attempt is made to increase the relative aperture.
Without size and cost constraints, these problems can be overcome by any experienced optical designer. However, there are presently few, if any, commercially acceptable zoom lenses, from the standpoint of compact size, relative aperture, zoom range, and good quality available from a wide angle range with a rated zoom range of three to one or over for the 24.times.36 mm image frame format.
However, Ellis I. Betensky in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 070,749, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,454, has disclosed a new configuration for a zoom lens which permits a zoom range of almost five to one from a field angle of over seventh degrees. Such lenses comprise a front positive group, a strong negative second group, a third positive group and in some cases, a fourth positive group. Three of these groups may be movable to vary the EFL of the lens.
The present invention provides an improvement over and to the foregoing Betensky lens in that it permits a larger aperture for a given physical size of the lens, or alternatively a reduction in physical size for a given relative aperture.